Obituary of Madeleine Johnson

Madeleine Jean Johnson, C.M. (nee McMaster) Passed away peacefully at Toronto General Hospital on Tuesday May 27, 2014. Predeceased by her parents, Janet Magee and Samuel McMaster, brother Owen McMaster and sister Yvonne Green. Survived by her daughter Anne Stadlmair, daughter-in-law Monica Tinoco Johnson, brother-in-law Patrick Green, and her godson Gregory Brown. Jean is also survived by many nieces and nephews: Kerry McMaster, Pamela Hargreaves, Robert McMaster, Diane Barnes, Gordon Green, and Sharon Green. The family would like to express our thanks and gratitude to the Thoracic Unit at Toronto General Hospital for the care and support they showed Jean during her time on the 10th floor. Born and educated in Toronto, Jean graduated from the 4 year art course at Northern Secondary School, and drew Captain Marvel comics during the war. For 10 years she was Supervisor of the Charting Department at the A.C. Neilsen Company, Toronto. As Curator at the Merton Gallery, (1969-79) Jean organized countless exhibitions of fine art and fine craft. Jean was a passionate advocate of contemporary craft at Harbourfront Centre as Coordinator of the Craft Studio, (1979 - 91), Craft Projects Manager (1991 - 2003) and Manager: Special Craft Initiatives (January 2003 to 2008). Projects included conferences, lectures and workshops with International guest artists: marketing, commissioning for craftspeople, public art. The papers presented at the conference, `Exploring Contemporary Craft History, Theory and Critical Writing', held at Harbourfront Centre in 1999 were published in September 2002, and have recently been reprinted by the Coach House Press, Toronto. In February 2008 the symposium `Canadian Craft Pioneers: Historic and Contemporary', was presented, and the papers presented were published by the Canadian Museum of Civilization. The symposium, `Curatorial Practice and Critical Writing', organized in collaboration with the Craft Council of Denmark, was part of a major festival of Danish culture at Harbourfront Centre in Fall 2004. After 1979, Jean curated numerous exhibitions including the `Fishing Baskets of Asia Pacific' celebrating Canada's Year of Asia Pacific 1997 at Harbourfront Centre. The exhibit subsequently traveled across Canada. Jean taught `The History of Craft and Design' (1994, 1998 & 2002), `grant writing', and `marketing for visual artists' at the Haliburton School of the Arts, (1995 to 2000), and for various Toronto artist centres. She taught the `History of Botanical Drawing' at Haliburton (1995 - 2002). A member of the Botanical Artists of Canada, Jean's botanical drawings have been shown at the Toronto Botanical Garden, the Aird Gallery, the Haliburton School of the Arts, and other locations in Toronto and across Ontario. Volunteer activities included Member of the board of directors for the Textile Museum of Canada, Professional Art Dealers of Canada, Ontario Crafts Council and President of the William Morris Society of Canada. Jean served as juror for exhibitions and awards across Canada, including The Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and adviser on curriculum to Georgian College Jewellery Studio and Sheridan College School of Craft and Design. She was also a member of the programming committees for the William Morris Society of Canada and the Canadian Society of Decorative Arts. Jean was awarded the Order of Canada (1993) for her work with the crafts community across Canada; The Mather Award & Honourary Life Member, Ontario Crafts Council (1994); Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa, Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, (2000) and Honorary Fellowship, Ontario College of Art & Design (2001), and the Queen's Jubilee Medal, (2012). From 1951 to 1961 she lived in Caracas, Venezuela, with her husband, a Canadian Mechanical engineer, where she studied and drew the local tropical plants and learned to speak Spanish. A funeral service will be held at the CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION, 111 Manor Road East on Saturday, May 31st at 11:00 a.m. with a reception to follow. Cremation will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jean's memory to the Ontario Craft Council, www.craft.on.ca A complete celebration of Jean's life is planned for at a later date. To share remembrances please visit www.galanthusjean.com as well as www.humphreymiles.com